Transparent Emotions
by Tsubome
Summary: [AkatsukixSakura] Haruno Sakura. Head medic. ANBU. When she gets sick of everything life throws at her, she decides to go away for a while… to be able to take care of someone else, and to stop having others look after her.
1. Prologue

**Transparent Emotions**

**By: Tsubome**

Pairing: AkatsukixSakura. You have been warned

Summary[AkatsukixSakura Haruno Sakura. Head medic. ANBU. When she gets sick of everything life throws at her, she decides to go away for a while… to be able to take care of someone else, and to stop having others take care of her.

Disclaimer: Do I look like Kishimoto-sensei? I don't think so. (-.-') Standard disclaimer applied. Constructive crits are accepted. Flames are a waste of your time, so don't bother. I just delete them from my email anyway.

* * *

_You're weak._

She knew that. She has always realized that it will be the only way they will all see her. She's now an accomplished medic nin. She is also the only person in the village with power equal to the Hokage-sama herself. But nobody ever acknowledged the fact that she has grown up. All everyone saw in her was the very same thing each time: a crybaby who doesn't know how to keep her emotions in check. Or like how a kunoichi should.

She saw those pitying glances her fellow teammates gave her. The way Naruto will put on a fake smile whenever she passed by him. The same way Ino will just ignore her and glance back at her sadly when she thought Sakura wasn't looking. In fact, nobody believes that she can amount to anything anymore.

Even Tsunade-sama rarely asks her to go on those A-ranked missions she undertook like before. And being like that, she stays at the same place, unmoving. Day after day, she walked back and forth from her small apartment to the town hospital.

Not as if, it was _bad, _in her opinion. She knew how they all felt about her. Yes, even if she is recognized by the elders as one of the top kunoichi. She is now a member of ANBU, and the top medic in the hospital. But she lacked something essential that all the top shinobi possessed. That was to be able to control your emotions.

After everyone realized that, everything faded away. Yes, she's stronger. And she can actually beat one of the ANBU captains if she wanted to. That is, if she didn't crumble down by a single taunt. She just does so even before the real fight will start.

And so, that is the only image she will ever see in herself. The only way everyone will look at her. She's a medic, one who plainly watches from the sidelines. As one who only fights when there was no other choice. As one who only heals others.

* * *

Sakura walked while she turned her head back and forth. High bookshelves full of scrolls neatly piled up against each other were positioned on both of her sides. She browsed through them. These tall structures are just one-fourth of the whole directory. That is, the directory of D-rank missions. Mostly those for genin aged fifteen and up. Konoha IS quite big, after all. The number of missions the citizens were giving just for some work off their hands was countless; she knew that.

She was reminiscing all that she has gone through. All that happened ever since she lengthened the distance between her and the people close to her.

She has a stable income that supported her. Hell, she can still survive without it anyway. She's a medic, after all. She can easily live like a hermit and still survive.

She loved everyone. She wanted to believe that she can continue on this kind of life. She had to wait while they all go to dangerous missions and heal them when they arrive. She wanted to be with everyone, to have everyone she knew around her. Yet she also knew that no matter how long this could last, all she will ever accomplish is to lengthen their lives.

She couldn't stand this. Sakura knew that she needed to move on like everyone did. And now, her current dilemma is to find a long enough job, mission, whatever it may be. She needed one that can last her for some time. One that is long enough to let her live under a roof.

Why? For her problem is that she can't find a roof to live in. Her apartment was attacked by some rogue nin the other day. Up to now, people didn't know who the people were. But she couldn't just complain about it without people's opinion of her lowering more and more. So she didn't say anything.

And all that led to her current situation. She is to find a mission that will allow somebody to house her for a little while. She can swallow her pride, anyway. A D-rank mission will suit her just fine. Cleaning houses, babysitting children, they're all fine. Just let li'l old Sakura-chan have a place to stay in.

Just at that exact moment, a certain scroll caught her eye. It has a black outer covering. The black color somehow appeared as if it was _glowing._ She edged closer. The glowing part of the cover was colored _red._ Weird.

She wanted to turn around. No, she _needed _to. But each time she tried to avert her gaze; the glow makes her look back again. She shook her head. No. This might be some weird trap set for weak nin stupid enough to not notice the glow. Though with how obvious it looks like now, the kunoichi doesn't have an inkling on how anybody could.

Her hand reached for it. The glow isn't charka, is it? No, she should have sensed it if it was a long time ago. Yet she's filled with that overwhelming feeling. It's like she wanted to just hold it in her hands.

She wasn't able to resist.

* * *

Pein stared out of the one-sided window. The glass was blurry. The reason probably lay on the heavy downpour leaf-gakure has been getting. It was a bad omen. He just felt it that way. And his instincts have never failed him before.

It didn't scare him. But it gave off a strange feeling in his non-existent heart. And it added a slightly bitter taste in his mouth. If one was to count off everything right now, to be exact. Maybe he should also add in that heavy weight in his stomach. _Definitely a warning, _he mused.

He realized he was thinking too much. He paid more attention to his surroundings. Outside, the rain got louder. The wind was now literally blowing into the window shutters. A storm is coming. He knew that.

He stood up. Walking, he put one hand on the window shutters. He took a glance outside. There's a faint outline of something…_someone? _He blinked. Sure enough, there is a shadow-like figure walking closer to where he is. He shook his head.

It must be an illusion. The probability of it happening _now, _of all days, is impossible. But he felt hope at that very moment. At last, after days of waiting for someone to come take his offer…

…the one who accepted it is coming.

He was slowly losing hope of having _anybody_ ever come to the job interview. It's been _two weeks_, yet nobody still wanted to come. It's as if the selecting jutsu he put on the scroll was working all too well.

Name: Pein. Status: Akatsuki Leader. Current problem: finding a housekeeper for the Akatsuki.

It was not _his fault_ that all the people good enough to enter Akatsuki were all _boys_. Yes, they're all men. All of them are strong, manly _men_. _Men_ who were proud of what they are. _Men_…

…who never had any experience in holding a single knife.

Why, kunai, shuriken, katanas, even large bulking swords (if you'd consider it one) like Samehada are weapons that they can handle with the ease and gracefulness equal to the greatest dancer in Konohagakure herself. Give them a kitchen knife…and they're just as useless as the next four-year old holding their first solid object.

He knows that they needed a housekeeper. They needed someone who can focus their attention on the cooking, household chores, and laundry. They need one who can do those while avoiding wrath belonging to the strongest group in the whole of all the hidden villages combined.

Pein settled for sitting back comfortably in his chair behind the interviewer's table as he looked back at the blurry shape outside the window. All feelings of doubt and insecurity he was going through awhile ago are forgotten. He allowed a rare smile to come to his face.

* * *

_Type: D-rank_

_Acceptable to: 16-year old genin and above_

_Mission: Doing household chores for an apartment. Living accommodations, if any, are provided. Breakfast is at 6:00, Lunch at 12:00 and Dinner is at 7:00. Household chores include:_

_-doing the laundry_

_-cleaning_

_-cooking_

* * *

Sakura shivered enthusiastically. She shielded the item in her hands from the storm. She didn't want it to be destroyed. Why the storm had to be _today_, of all days, she didn't know. Nor did she _want_ to.

She pushed further against the strong wind. This job is important to her. The main reason was because it fitted her needs to a T. With this, she can have somewhere to live. At the same time, she wouldn't need to worry about spending the whole day just doing house chores.

She thought that maybe she can convince them to let her go out when she doesn't have to work. That way, she can go to the Hospital whenever she wanted to. She doesn't have much to do there anyway. There are many more medics in there that can do her work. She just has to take care of the house when she is done with her hospice work. _It's like a part-time job. Or was it the other way around?_ She smiled at her thoughts.

She planned it all this way so that she can do everything properly. She desperately needed to balance her schedule. There were times she dragged herself to the Konoha Library just to have something to do, at least. She was bored to death…and she has nothing to do about the situation.

She knocked on the door. _Is this the right place?_ She wondered once again whether she took a wrong turn on her way. This place is located in the middle of a maze-like place filled with dark alleys and tall buildings. And one wall of this place is also resting on the edge of the Konoha border. It was just touching the wall that separates the land from being labeled 'Konoha' and 'forest'. She didn't feel comfortable, either way.

It was as if this place was _intentionally _hidden.

She hesitated before knocking. Once. Twice. Just when she was about to knock the third time, the door opened. Instead of wood, her hand met the chest of a man. She looked up to see his face. Due to the darkness of the house's interior, all she was able to see were his eyes.

"A-anou… I'm here to accept the mission you have…"

Pein narrowed his eyes. Maybe that selection jutsu wasn't working too well like he'd thought it would. I fact, it seems like its going closer to malfunctioning. There was no way in the name of Hokage he was going to accept that it chose such a weak-looking genin. He doubted she can even survive the first day of the job.

"I see. Please go inside, we still have to discuss your…conditions." He let the door open even wider. It was exposing the scariness of the room. His eyesight didn't fail to deliver the fact that she was shivering. _Is it due to the cold…or something else? _He chuckled.

Sakura wasn't fazed by the dark at all. There were many times when she had to endure darkness as the Hokage's apprentice. She had seen scarier rooms with even more frightening things contained inside. Yes, the Konoha Hospital isn't just a place for people to rest. And as the top medic, she had to know everything that went on inside it.

She took one step inside the room. Nothing seemed to attack her yet, so she continued walking. She looked around warily. Somebody had warned her that the dark is the best way to attack an unsuspecting shinobi. She shouldn't let her guard down, particularly in these types of places.

The mysterious person held out a chair for her to sit in. The edges of it were pale due to the darkness. She blinked. Her eyes are now getting more accustomed to the dimness of the room. As she looked closer, she was able to recognize the outlines of a desk, (probably for red-eyes man over there) and another chair.

She sat down carefully. She looked around the nearly-empty room. The person in front of her sat down as well. His eyes showed amusement. It may be something near to that, anyway.

"So, I presume you have accepted what I gave? And everything that comes along with it?" His eyes creased to show that he was smiling. She frowned at it. It was the way that he seemed to find her amusing that annoyed her.

"Yes, but I have a few conditions of my own to make along with it." She answered, showing a small grin. She wanted to irritate him somehow. She didn't know how, but she just felt like she wanted to. At her statement she handed him a paper with all her requirements.

* * *

_Conditions:_

_To be free to go outside on my other jobs when I'm finished with everything. _

_To have day-offs on weekends_

_To be free to speak my mind whenever I want to_

_To acquire my own room_

* * *

Pein shook his head after reading the scrap of paper. He knew that odd feeling a while ago had been his instinct acting up on him. It was a warning. It was always like that whenever bad luck came.

He had a suspicion of this possibility. He had always been this right. Today, it served him good. For their first accepter in two weeks, well… he's not allowed to complain now. Who knows how long they will have to wait for a next time?

He twitched. He's trying his best to suppress his feelings. He knew that scaring the poor girl right now isn't the best idea. She _might _look mature. However, her petite size just accounts for what might be the fragile child within.

Even if she was to work for _just _one day, it's alright. Just as long as they have someone to fix that _considerable_ amount of trash in the household, he'll go through with anybody. And anyway, the jutsu chose her, right?

"I think all these conditions can be tolerated. Although the day-offs you speak of… We still need someone to cook for us at these times. Maybe you can fit at least an hour of cooking at these day-offs?" He's haggling now, he knew it. Like an old woman at the fruits and vegetables market would.

"I guess so. And speaking my mind isn't going to upset you? Are you quite sure it's okay, then?" The words popped out of her mouth before she realized it. It must have been instinctual for her. Inner Sakura was shouting a few seconds ago that she wants to annoy the guy. Naturally, Outer had to oblige.

"Ah, of course." Pein just wanted to end this _now_. He felt weird just talking to her. She spelled trouble. At least she seemed smart. He just didn't want to have any other trouble land on him at this moment. His hands are already full as it is.

"So I'm accepted then?" Sakura smiled. She knew he was still deciding on whether to accept her or not. He nodded.

"So…your name is?" His eyes looked directly at hers for a moment. That look sent a shiver to her spine. It was like she was a piece of meat. One that is ready to be used at the fair. Nevertheless, she still smiled. He stopped staring, and coughed.

"Haruno Sakura" She replied without hesitation. The odd aura around both of them from a while ago vanished. He chuckled at her seemingly innocent look. _Amusing, indeed._

"Thank you. You are free to go now." She turned around at that moment. She was starting to get annoyed with this creepy place already. Everything just seems to make her get more and more irritated. She started walking forward; her back now turned to the shadow person.

"Oh, and one more thing." He suddenly muttered. He intended for her to hear it. And hear it she did. He head cocked back. Just then, he threw a kunai aimed for her heart.

She readied herself with a battle stance, one that (surprisingly, to Pein) resembled that of the Sannin. She caught the kunai with a single finger. She twirled it around while angrily glaring at him.

"What the heck was _that _for?!" Sakura's wrath showed evidently on her face. The kunai twirling around on her finger was thrown in the air. She caught it. She then threw it directly at his head.

"Just…testing. I don't want some ninja wannabe going around taking the job without any experience." He smiled at her in that way of his. He caught the kunai just when it was inches from his face. He started twirling it in his finger the exact same way she did moments ago just to spite her.

"Work starts tomorrow. You are to prepare breakfast at the appointed time." When he spoke, his voice was devoid of any emotion. He knew that she just wanted to go _now_. He'd bet that she was already starting to get downright scared out by everything that went on. She should have thought it all out before going here. Everything _ought to _have sounded suspicious to her, right?

But in this case, he started to feel happy just knowing that she didn't. After all, he _definitely _wouldn't be able to survive any longer. Waiting for someone for _more _than two weeks would be absolutely boring.

It could be described as total torture.

She nodded once. She turned her head. The minute she stepped outside, she faded away with a scatter of cherry blossoms, blowing in the wind.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I'm as annoyed as Sakura supposedly is at the moment. I don't know if I told everything right, though. I mean… as in tell how they exactly felt.. I'm not good at writing that way, I know. Wtf… well… look at meh other stories, and you'll see what I'm talking about. I could have just thrown them into that digital trash can and nobody would have noticed. The amount of reviews I received for them can easily cover for my answer, really…

So I guess I'm feeling insecure at the moment. I started this story with NO PLOT AT ALL. I was just reading CiraArana's The Diary (Inuyasha) and Kagome Taisho's Sakuno Chronicles (Prince of Tennis). Just search for those pennames, and yes, I'm recommending them.

Oh, and thanks to meh beta reader Milky Etoile-neechama. I don't know if you have already beta-ed this when I've posted it or not, but thanks anyway. Insert sigh here

Btw, the first part is just an intro. I'm just letting you in on Sakura's mopey-dopey and angsty side. She emotes and goes all "woe is me!!!" speech… or maybe it's just what I think she feels like.

Oh, and something else. None of the Akatsuki is dead in this fic. And the unnamed member is a male. I won't be inserting that person, though. Just hope that you'll understand that. All the ones that I WILL insert are those who we are all familiar with already.

The second chappie is going to be updated on god-knows-when, for I still haven't written it right nao and I'm only using borrowed net time to do so. Our internet connection is the broken right nao. Don't you dare start annoying me about that part or you will feel the same amount of angst I have given Sakura awhile ago to be used on more angst about that situation to you at once. Fear the angst, desu!!!! Ye shall perish once I unleash meh muse, the angst kitties, suu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	2. First Impressions

Disclaimer: I say I will never, _ever _claim Mr. Bean. No offense to the Mr. Bean lovers out there, but I really think he's a pretty weird character. (Yes, It seems I overuse that word) I never watched it, but my bro does. And all I can think of is that he must have hit his head at one point or another and nobody noticed anything.

Meep. Anyway, out of Mr. Bean-verse, I still say the name Tsubome, in any way; shape or form (and size) can never be associated or connected to the name Kishimoto. That is, especially if it was the name Kishimoto-sensei, the one who owns Naruto. I doubt there are no people out there who'd like that, anyway. Putting Naruto-verse in the hands of my completely warped brain will give total suffering to all of its fandom.

You DO understand what those two horribly long paragraphs were saying, right? Yes, I disclaim all property of Naruto and Mr. Bean. To put it short, Standard disclaimer applied.

* * *

Chapter 2: First Meetings

_Briiing!!!_

A small hand went out from under the covers. It reached out for the top of the bed. It was looking for the source of the annoying sound. The hand touched the alarm clock. In a split second the provoking item was smashed onto the floor. It collided to the ground with a crash. The impact was loud enough to wake up the medic fast asleep on the bed.

Haruno Sakura put a hand over her still-sleepy eyes. She turned on the lamp situated in the bedside table. It was put just beside the alarm clock-before Sakura destroyed it. She blinked, looking outside. _It's still dark out…_

She thought once again of what happened just yesterday. The minute she remembered, she sat up instantly.

She went to Ichiraku after the interview. Then she looked at her post in the hospital. She intended to go immediately to sleep after that. But she was surprised at what she saw. For the first time in months, there was a letter in her mailbox. It was folded directly over a box-shaped package.

And everything following that was all a blur.

* * *

Deidara woke up with the usual smirk plastered on his face. He readied himself for everything- usually. And especially when it concerns orders straight from the Leader himself. He didn't want to incur the anger of the fearsome man.

Just two weeks ago, they had another of their usual meetings…or so they wanted to believe.

They were let down when they were given a straight lecture by the scary person heading their organization. He started with the normal greetings, and his check-up on their activities. All was okay, until he started some debate. Deidara himself didn't really care. Up to now he still didn't remember anything. Some of them objected to the idea, so the Akatsuki Leader had to result to using force. He threatened them that whoever was to disobey the new order was to be kicked out already.

And as punishment for thinking differently he gave them a new order. That order involves them, their clothes, and a certain blindfold.

Ah, it should be easy to piece together everything after that, right? Yes, they have to wear the blindfold for twenty four hours of the day. A few exceptions, like when they are fighting, are allowed. The _special_ exception when fighting was the Uchiha. The mangekyou is one of the top weapons of the Akatsuki that can make anybody keel down in fear. Good convincing material, as Pein said so himself.

The clothes? They are now forced to wear a new uniform. For now, that is. Deidara kind of liked it somehow. They were allowed to wear their cloak. But, that's only when outside the Konoha bounds. They are currently living on one side of Konoha. That one was a result of a card game where Itachi won (as always). The Leader said that since his assignment is the Kyuubi, their new home is now situated on Konoha.

Their outfit consists of the usual ones that Konoha shinobi wear without the hitae-ate. Instead of a head protector, they were to wear a blindfold. It was to help them with their senses, and improve them on their blind spots.

They had a similar task before around the time when Itachi joined. By now, the only ones who would have to worry were the newer members. His new partner, for instance, is making him get more and more annoyed at the minute. Not only will Tobi look weird wearing the blindfold (_I mean, he's already wearing that spiral mask-thingy, yeah!!!_); he also went around calling himself Tokkun every now and then.

Well, everyone has their own special assignment. And in Deidara's case, he is now forbidden to tie his hair. He isn't allowed to do so unless if he is a hundred miles away from Konohagakure. And he has to wear gloves. He's practically infuriated by that command. He knows he shouldn't complain, but how?

His hair can easily get untidy if it doesn't have a hair-tie. And clips look waaaaaaaay _too_ girly. No way. And it doesn't fit his look at all. And his hair-do has to be combed at least once every few seconds to stay in place. And _why_, for what weird reason would he do so anyway, yeah? He wanted to protest, but since nobody has dared to (_yet_), he won't (_for now_).

As he opened his door, a certain smell wafted through his nose. The bad smell of rotten cabbages and dirty trash coming from downstairs has been replaced with something more adjustable to his overly-delicate senses.

He sniffed again. _Ah, that nice smell. What was it, yeah? Soba? Oh, it's been such a long time since I last tasted it, yeah._ All thoughts then went out of his head. The only intelligible thing that he could process at that moment was that

* * *

Sakura already prepared everything she needed before she came. The small package conveniently gave her all that she can use. All for the scrap bin the shadow-guy called a house. Well, it wasn't really _that_ small. In actuality it was really large. Her jaw literally dropped down to the ground just looking at its size.

Even with the mansion-like exterior, the inside was _very _messy. It was well-guarded, though. The minute she entered, she had to jump. There were a few chakra strings just carelessly hanging down like spider's webs behind the door.

After her foot crossed only one centimeter (as it seemed to her) past the door, kunai flew towards her. Luckily the aim was a bit off. Her height was just too tiny for them to even catch a breadth of her hair. Those must have been intended for somebody _a lot_ taller than she was.

She was given the blueprint copy of the house. She found it useful. Who knows what could have happened if she walked in on some guy changing? It's probably not a very good way to introduce oneself. Well, as long as the guy doesn't turn out to be some mental psychopath or anything. She shuddered. Now that you may think of it, the place was _just right_ for a psychopath to live in

_Yeah, right, and Mr. Bean comes over for coffee on Wednesdays._ She snorted.

She memorized the house's layout after looking at the blueprint in the way over to the place. The map to the house was delivered with the blueprint already. She had to make more twists and turns than that other time. They went to a secluded mountain full of forests for training with Kakashi-sensei before. And right now, she'd kind of prefer the mountain forest to this place any day.

Scratch that. Maybe she _might _prefer this place. The forest had no _baths_. They had no _beds_. And they most definitely did not have any proper _food_.

The other thing given with the map and blueprint was a list of her duties and time for them. She was shocked, per se. For all she saw was how the heck she could juggle _all those_, considering the size of the house itself.

She went to that was labeled 'the kitchen' and started cleaning for about an hour. When she was already done, everything was all sparkly-cleany. It really turns out to be easier to clean when it's dirty and messy. When you try to clean an already tidy room, all you seem to accomplish is to have wasted an entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing. At least in this place the fruits of her hard labor are very evident.

After cleaning her main workplace Sakura went to cooking. It was around 5:00 when she started. She looked in the old cabinets, but she found nothing. The refrigerator hosted only rotten food. She searched a bit more, until she saw another package on one side of the table. She didn't really think much of it a while ago. She thought that it belonged to somebody living in this…mansion-like apartment.

Sakura looked at the label. _To Haruno Sakura-san, _it said. She once again remembered the interviewer with the creepy eyes. She shuddered. _Well, at least it's better than nothing,_ she thought.

She opened the box. The food contained inside were ingredient for yakisoba, as said in the note. It was the only edible food available. Because of that, she wouldn't say anything.

_Let that shadow-guy give the answers, shannaro!!!_ Inner sakura shouted in her head.

Sakura was cooking while washing the dishes. She enjoyed the peace inside the kitchen when she was alone. It just…felt right, somehow.

It lasted until it was nearly six a.m. I was then that the _real_ trouble started.

* * *

Deidara was never informed that they had a new housekeeper. He thought it was strange that he smelled yakisoba cooking so early in the morning. Actually, he more of thought that someone in the group was able to take time off for some cooking lessons. He was disappointed when he saw that an outsider was the one who had taken the time to clean and cook.

He was stuck on a nearly-hypnotized state by then. It was because of that smell. The food really smelled quite nice. It was then that he took note of the person's hair color. It took a while for him to remember that there was _nobody_ in the Akatsuki who would choose something so girly for their hair color.

He shook his head. It was to clear his thoughts. When he regained proper consciousness, he attacked the person cooking behind them. It was at that moment that he received a telepathic message from their Leader.

_If you meet anybody with the name Sakura, don't attack her. I have hired her as our new housekeeper, _He started. At that moment, Deidara fell down flat on the ground. He raised his head. There was a sweatdrop hanging just over his new hairstyle.

Sakura was cooking everything properly. She had just put the final ingredients on the food. It was then that she felt a presence. She jumped to narrowly evade a kunai attacking her. The source came from outside the door that led to the kitchen.

She prepared herself for an attack. She somehow relaxed when her assailant went through the entrance of the kitchen (It wouldn't be considered a door, since it _doesn't have _a door. It's just a blank vertical rectangle-shaped space in the wall that anyone can enter through.)

Her attacker is a blonde girl. The person seemed to be a shinobi, of you observed the way the kunai went straight for her. As if the one wielding it was trained in shooting kunai. Plus, the girl was wearing a blindfold. The only people Sakura had seen who can endure a day with a blindfold were ninja.

Her hand is scratching back of her head. Her tongue was out. The girl bowed slightly. Sakura understood that she was saying sorry.

"Ah, men-go men-go. I thought someone was stealing from the house or something like that. I just remembered they said we had a new housekeeper. I didn't mean to do it." Deidara heard a few details from the Leader in the time when Sakura was going to a fighting position.

_Your name when in front of her is Ida._

_Your last name is Tsuki. You are part of the Tsuki clan. _

_Your brothers are Sasori and Itachi. The others are to be your cousins._

At what he said, Sakura visibly relaxed. She was a bit confused due to how deep the voice of the girl is, though. _Is this person a guy or a girl?_ She looked back to the food she was cooking, now ready and just left in there for heat. She turned off the stove and looked around for a big enough plate.

Deidara saw what was troubling her. Obviously, she didn't know how many of them would be eating breakfast, so she made too many. Now her problem is to find a big enough plate that can hold all of the yakisoba.

"Why not use two plates? I'm sure we can easily fit all these in both of them, yeah." He suggested. As he was talking, he opened a drawer over the sink. He took two large plates, both of them exactly the same. He held them out to the girl.

Sakura smiled at his gesture. She first thought that he was someone to be wary of. She changed her mind. Just a few seconds have passed and she was starting to like him already. She accepted the large plates and put the food on them.

"So…I believe you're Ida-sama?" Deidara jumped at the name. Sakura looked at a slip of paper in her hand. It was given to her at the same time as the other notes for her. In these were weird drawings of people wearing blindfolds. In one of them is the name 'Ida', put beside a colored picture. Though it seemed childlike, the hairstyle made it obvious the person was him. The color was another dead giveaway.

'Ida' sweatdropped…again.

"Can I look at that, yeah?" Sakura gave him the paper. He stared at his picture. _Leader…doesn't have an artistic talent. _They were all chibi drawing of only the heads of the members. The only thing that distinguished one from the other was the hair color.

The only guy in here who actually looked weird was Zetsu. _How the heck will we be able to explain that guy?_ He shook his head.

Sakura laid the meal on the kitchen table. She looked at Ida, who was trying his best not to start laughing his head off. He was failing miserably. Silent tears were threatening to fall down his cheeks any moment now.

"So…would you like to eat some breakfast, then?" Sakura wanted to know if something like that was good as breakfast. She wasn't really sure if it was appropriate for them. Nevertheless, she went to get some rice to put on the bowls she washed a while ago.

Deidara went to the dining room just beside the kitchen. He sat down on the chair nearest to him. Sighing, he began his assault on Sakura's cooked food.

_Now_ he understood why the Leader had acted so strangely these past few weeks. Though now, he won't blame the guy for doing it. This is heaven, in his opinion.

* * *

Sakura was just preparing Ida-sama's fourth "Okawari". She was holding the rice bowl when she heard something. At first, she thought it was Ida. But she doubted the guy would make such a…silent disturbance. She suddenly felt an impending doom just getting closer and closer to her. She tried her best to not think about it. She hummed, wanting to remove the strange feeling from her presence.

Meanwhile, Deidara was waiting for his rice. He wondered what was taking her so darn long. He heard something move behind him. He looked at the direction of the living room, which was just adjacent to the dining room. Both were separated by the same kind of door in the kitchen. It was the kind of door that only seemed like a hole.

At that moment a person appeared in the shadows of the living room. The person wasn't making any noise. To a normal person, he would seem like a statue. To be one with the surroundings, as they say.

Ida smirked. He knew this guy. He isn't an outsider like Sakura is. The person walked onward to Deidara. His foot didn't even seem to be touching the floor. He wasn't making any sound. He stopped only when he was already standing in front of 'Ida'. Deidara was sitting down on one of the chairs of the table.

The silent person has dull red hair. It ended only over his shoulders. His hair somehow resembled Kazekage no Gaara's hairstyle. The main difference was on the bangs, which didn't part on one side. His eyes, like Ida, were hidden by a blindfold. His actual name is Akasuna no Sasori.

Sasori's room was only on the main corridor. It was the room farther up, if you walked just a bit forward. The room located before his belonged to Tobi.

Unlike everyone believed, he didn't die from that fight a few years ago. In truth, nobody knew what happened to him. His body was missing by the time they arrived to collect information. They had all given up trying to search for his body. They didn't really care, in fact.

What surprised the whole Akatsuki was when he suddenly emerged from his room one year ago. At that time all he did was just act as if nothing happened at all. He didn't want to explain. It was due to that so as to they didn't ask anything. They didn't say anything at all.

There was only one difference on his actions if compared to before. Ever since his 'resurrection', Sasori had started taking baths. He regularly went to the toilet every now and then. He began eating meals at the appropriate times of the day. It was all suspicious, but the Leader assured them everything was fine. They understood, somehow. Ever since he returned, Sasori had ceased to become a puppet.

Sasori took one look at the kitchen door. There came a sound from within, some kind of feminine humming. Sasori raised his brow. He recognized the voice…somehow.

Before Sasori was to attack Sakura, Deidara held him back with the wrist. Sasori looked at the hand preventing him from Sakura. He slowly raised his head to glare at 'Ida'.

"Don't, yeah. Just listen to what Leader has to say first." Sasori's eyes showed distrust. He knew that this was the real Deidara; he would have killed him already if otherwise. Just then, he received the same message as Deidara from Leader.

* * *

Sakura blinked. She was starting to hear voices from the other room. They weren't loud enough for her to hear. But she was able to hear Ida's voice, albeit muffled.

"Ida-sama? Are you talking to somebody?" Sakura stepped forward with the bowl of rice in her hands. The feeling she had a moment ago came back. She concentrated on what her senses were telling her. She knew that there was danger present. First is, to find out who Ida-sama is talking to.

Sakura only looked straight forward. She _had_ to know what this feeling of dread was saying to her. She didn't look at anything else. She wasn't even able to look at that kunai left as a remnant of what would have been Ida's attack.

Kunai still unnoticed, she walked forward onto the door. The kunai was standing in her way. Normally, she would have seen it and picked it up immediately. But this time she was just too careless.

**THUMP**

The rice bowl in her hands flew high onto the air. Sakura fell splat on the ground. She lifted her head and looked at what she hit. What she saw was her sandal dangling. It was dislodged in the now slightly bleeding kunai.

It was then that she remembered the rice bowl she was carrying a while ago. Sakura looked up, flinching. She expected the flying rice bowl to land on her head at any moment now. When nothing came, she slowly looked up.

Instead of her, the person hit by the rice bowl was someone who had red hair. She looked closely at him. He seemed familiar somehow.

"Excuse me…have we met before?" She stared at his hair. Maybe she could have talked to him before or something? Or maybe passed him on the street but didn't take note of him?

"Ah…excuse _me_." His look made her spine shiver. Even with the blindfold, she can feel the degrading way his opinion towards her seemed to be. A smirk curved on his mouth.

"I'm positive that if I have met someone like you before, I'd try my best to forget that person at once. I don't think I will ever survive if I was actually acquainted with the likes of you." He folded his arms. Sakura blinked again.

'_Why, you little…!' _Inside her head, Inner Sakura was on a rampage. Outer Sakura didn't even complain; she is angry too.

"Well, if I had met someone _that_ rude before, then I'd totally forget about them too!!!" she put both hands on her hips. Her form now showed anger. She struck a pose akin to a mother scolding her child.

Sasori didn't answer. Instead, he calmly took the upturned rice bowl from his head. He walked past Sakura to go to the sink.

"I'm not finished yet!" She was about to start shouting at him again. She looked at what he was doing. He took a tissue from the drawer and wiped his hair. It is full of sticky, steamy rice.

Sakura regretted what she did. She remembered that the guy was also her master. This guy can fire her if he wished to. She apologetically looked down and bowed.

"Gomenasai! I'm extremely sorry for my rash actions! I didn't mean to do it, oyakata-sama!" Her face is red with embarrassment. She knew that the guy was just entering.

All he did was saying to her how annoying it was having rice on your head. But instead of listening and saying sorry, she shouted back at his face. She knew his words hurt. It can easily turn out to be one of the many other insults she had heard directed at her. But just a comeback of one of them can make her snap so easily. What would she have done if the person saying that to her was actually Tsunade-sama?

The red-haired person looked back at her with a blank expression. Well, as what she can understand from his expression, at least. All that she can see was his mouth. It wasn't frowning, but it wasn't smiling either. Like the person was really calm. Yet, in Sakura's optimistic (yeah, right) mind, all she can comprehend is that he isn't angry at her.

"Fine. You take these things out of my head, _now_." Even if he looked calm, his voice held a bit of intimidation to it. There still rang the small tone of you-just-dare-try-doing-that-kind-of-thing-again-and-I-will-personally-make-your-life-a-living-hell.

Outside the kitchen, Deidara was laughing silently. He saw everything.

* * *

Er…to those who don't watch the longer and funnier animes, men-go is just a stylish term for go-men. It's like the way we say other words like er-pats and such. Gomen means Sorry. It is the shortened term for the word 'Gomenasai'.

A/N: Uh…and there goes another chapter. It's true, I started it with the normal 'What if' question for the author. I was rereading a few fics and came across something by some person named 'storm', I think. It was AkatsukixSakura as well. 'Course, I ship Deisaku and Sasosaku. But I only do so when Sakura is in the middle of a love triangle.

One of meh fave quotes: "Intertwined Triangles"

Yep, I luuuuuuurv harem. I don't know when I really started with that one (I think it was on furuba or ccs or some other anime) but I truly, deeply like it. And that's why I avoid reading normal Deisaku or Sasosaku. DeisakuSaso might be good to ship, though. Anybody know any good ones?

Though, yes, I ship normal Itasaku from time to time. It was how I started liking this fandom, actually. I was craaaazy over the Itasaku in Loophole. And the reason I started liking AkatsukixSakura was because of the trilogy Metamorphosis, Evolution, and Salvation from MitsukiShiroi. (try it, it's really touching) The ending was somewhat on the angsty side, though, so I kind of got annoyed with that part.


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